“Then why do you want revenge?”
“Not revenge, my dear - payback,” he said with a twinkle in his eye.
“Men,” she said before kissing him and heading back to the other women, who made far more sense. Trenton enjoyed watching her as she walked away. The longer he was with her, the more he fell in love. She only grew more beautiful each day.
***
“How are you holding up?” George asked.
“I’m still standing,” Bree answered. She didn’t think any of them planned on leaving the ranch anytime soon. They’d all been there for several hours and the party was in full bloom. She was tired, but didn’t want to admit her weakness to them. She had a feeling she wasn’t normally one to complain about things.
“I’ll start rounding everyone up. They’re just so excited to have you back home,” George said.
“You don’t have to do that, I’m fine,” she automatically responded. She felt as if she were ungrateful, when everyone had been nothing but kind to her.
“It’s okay to be tired, Bree. You’ve been through a lot. Your brothers have always been protective over you, and the years of lost time when everyone mourned the loss of your mother has made them even more so. Too much time was lost, and now we all want to be reassured that nothing will rip our family apart again,” he explained.
Bree loved him – she couldn’t remember him being her father, but he was such a kind and gentle man, and she knew beyond a doubt that she loved her father. She threw her arms around him and clung for several moments. When she pulled back, there were tears in his eyes.
“Thank you, Dad. I’m sure everything will eventually come back to me, but one thing I know is that I love you. I can feel it in my heart, even if my mind is shut down at the moment.”
“That’s the best thing you could ever say to me. I love you, too, Sweetheart. Now, I’m going to get all these testosterone filled men out of here so you can get off your feet and rest. You are growing my beautiful grandchild, after all.”
Bree laughed as she let him take her arm and lead her to the porch. She thought a nap sounded pretty heavenly right then, though. She was passed around once again as everyone said goodbye. The little kids all needed a hug and kiss from her, and she once again felt that warm glow in her heart as she held them tightly against her chest. She obviously loved this big chaotic family. Memory or not, she felt at home – at ease with her world.
She stood next to Chad as they waved goodbye to the last departing family members.
“Sorry about that, Bree. When your family makes up their minds, there’s no stopping them. That’s one of the things I love about them most,” Chad told her as he led her inside. Bree collapsed in the comfortable chair, feeling like her eye lids weighed fifty tons.
“I loved it. They’re a bit overwhelming, but it’s obvious they love me. I think my memory will come back. I have a good feeling about it…” she trailed off.
Her words sent an arrow of panic through Chad. When she realized he’d lied to her, she was going to be furious. He would just make sure she fell in love with him before that happened so she wouldn’t want to leave.
“That’s great. I need to go tend the animals,” he said, sounding short as he strode out the door. He tried to ignore the startled look in her eyes, and the flash of hurt his words caused. He mucked the horse stalls until his muscles were screaming and sweat dripped from his brow. He pushed himself hard, hoping by the time he went inside, he’d be able to fall face first into bed and pass out.
It didn’t work. After a hot shower, he crawled into bed, where he laid for hours, his mind filled with thoughts of Bree, and wishing she were lying next to him. He would’ve most likely caved and went to her, had she not been sleeping so soundly.
She wanted her own room until she felt more comfortable in their relationship. She’d laughed about it, patting her stomach, but she said it felt wrong for them to sleep together when he was too much like a stranger still. Though he may not survive it, he hadn’t argued with her. But he didn’t think he was going to get any rest with her sleeping only a few short feet away.
Chapter Ten
Chad took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. He wanted to marry her, and preferably before she got her memory back. She carried his child – he wouldn’t let the baby be raised without a father. He’d be there to always protect them both.
Bree was sitting in the kitchen when he came around the corner. She gave him a tentative smile, unsure of why he’d stormed away from her the night before.
“Let’s get married now,” he blurted, then wished he could take back his words when her eyes widened and she sat with a stunned look on her face. He should have gently approached the subject.
He could see a myriad of thoughts running through her mind. He knew she thought he was probably insane. Hot, then cold. She wouldn’t know what to think.
“Did we discuss marriage before the accident?” she asked, not taking her eyes from his. He could lie but he wouldn’t go that far.
“No, but things were good between us.”
“I don’t want a marriage of convenience. I know, I don’t know how, but I know I can only marry for love. I can barely comprehend being pregnant, and I wish I had my memory back, but I’m not going to marry you just because we slept together. Every time I ask you about the past, you hedge around it. Why?”
“The doctor said not to force anything on you.”
“That’s a cop-out and you know it,” she replied, getting irritated with him.
“It’s the truth,” he insisted.
“Would you have asked me to marry you if I wasn’t pregnant?”
Chad stood there like a deer caught in headlights. All he needed to say was ‘yes’ but he knew it was a lie. Maybe eventually he would’ve asked her, he tried to reason with himself. But he’d always vowed never to get married. Having a baby changed things, though. They needed to put the needs of their child’s welfare ahead of themselves. She should understand that.
“That question doesn’t matter – it’s irrelevant,” he hedged.
“I disagree. I think it’s completely relevant.”
“I want to raise my child. Does that make me a bad guy?”
“You can be active in your child’s life without marrying me. I don’t even know you, not really. Maybe I’ll feel differently once my memories come back, but you’re not helping matters by acting like a Neanderthal,” she scolded.